John W. Young Papers

Notes describing letters and telegrams held in the John W. Young Collection in LDS Church Historian's Office, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Original research completed by George E. Pitchard during mid 1980s, included as part of his limited, self-published Utah Railroads Scrapbook.

August 7, 1871
"Go north in the morning. Think of organizing another RR Co. for the northern part of territory." (Letter, JWY to [unknown], August 7, 1871, Letterbook 'A', page 204, LDS Church Historian's Office)

August 7, 1871
Relative to the road steamer, which was first run the other day; they took a flatcar from the track and used it to haul a boat to the Jordan River, a distance of about one mile; weight he says was about 15 tons. The steamer cost $5,000; the boat $3,000. (Letter, JWY to D. D. Williamson, August 7, 1871, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

August 28, 1871
"...in connection with the U.N.RR.Co., the organization was made on Wednesday..." "We will need one locomotive, five flatcars, two boxcars and two passenger cars ... just as soon as they can possibly be sent." (Letter, JWY to Joseph Richardson, August 28, 1871, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

November 25, 1871
Cars still not arrived yet; $800 is needed to build a shed for the engine, and the C. P.'s freight bill for taking the engine to U.N. junction needs to be paid. (Letter, JWY to Joseph Richardson, November 25, 1871, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

December 26, 1871
"If Cars are not finished make gauge four feet eight inches and a half," (Telegram, JWY to Philip Diesenger, Philadelphia, December 26, 1871, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office) (These were the first cars for the street railroad.)

December 28, 1871
Notify of arrival on UCRR of cars 1633, 1562, 1619, 1674, 2259 and 2210, loaded with rail belonging to JWY; from Pottsville; and for the street railroad. (Letter, J. N. Pike to D. O. Calder, December 28, 1871, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office) (D. O. Calder was General Freight and Traffic Agent of Utah Central Railroad)

1872
Letter reveals that Joseph Richardson had the only pass over the Deseret Telegraph line other than the one held by Brigham Young. (Letter, JWY to [unknown], 1872, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

March 12, 1872
The changing of the gauge on the street railroad cars was rather costly, nearly finished. (Letter, JWY to [unknown], March 12, 1872, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

March 30, 1872
Bill dated January 3, 1872, Brill & Sons, for $1,678.00, for the cars for the street railroad. (Letter, JWY to [unknown], March 30, 1872, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

July 24, 1872
"The cars I bought of you last winter came without lamps. Will you please send three lamps that will fit the globes you put in the cars?" Also, JWY wants 'one or two' more cars the same as the others. (Letter, JWY to Brill, July 24, 1872, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

September 14, 1872
"2 passenger, 2 flat & 4 extra wheels arrived here 9th inst. in charge of Albert Dutton, all safe." Cars unloaded on the 10th, from PRR cars. "Get some cattle & more box cars & hurry up engine. Am afraid this one will give out have been detained once or twice with it." (Letter, Pike to JWY (in New York), September 14, 1872, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

October 9, 1872
"send extra spring pony truck for number one" and "answer when locomotives were shipped." (Telegram, Pike to JWY, October 9, 1872, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

October 14, 1872
"The two Engines have arrived." (Letter, Riter to JWY, October 14, 1872, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

October 21, 1872
"The new engines have been fitted up and work admirably." (Letter, Riter to JWY, October 21, 1872, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

October 24, 1872
A freight bill of nearly $1,100 on the four cars for UNRR needs to be paid rather soon, please. (Letter, JWY to [unknown], October 24, 1872, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

November 9, 1872
Summit County Railroad -- "Get Preston to order Pike to ship two hundred tons iron with spikes, bolts and fishplates, one new locomotive and three flats from Junction to Echo City." (Telegram, JWY to Riter to JAY, November 9, 1872, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

May 16, 1873
"On what terms will you furnish immediately fifteen flat cars, same as others, for the Summit County Railroad?" (Letter, JWY to Billmeyer & Small, May 16, 1873, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

October 28, 1874
Utah Western -- No track laid on U.W. as yet, and when it is, joints to be 'broken';, or staggered; "Have a gang of men behind the spikers to surface up the track before the engine passes over it." (Letter, JWY to G. W. Thatcher and J. N. Pike, October 28, 1874, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

November 19, 1874
Utah Western -- Tracklaying in progress, about 3/4th's mile per day being laid; bridges all built, motive power and cars all at Salt Lake City, and the iron all on hand or shipped, for the 20 miles to Lake Point. (Letter, JWY to [unknown], November 19, 1874, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

January 28, 1875
Letter writers are rather upset, enough so to try and get Brigham Young to sidetrack his son's plans! "The sympathy of the whole people north, and along the line, and at Salt Lake, are with the narrow gauge." (Letter, H. B. Clawson, H. P. Kimball, G. W. Thatcher, etc., to JWY, as Pres. of the Salt Lake & Ogden Railway, January 28, 1875, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office) (Salt Lake & Ogden Railway was a three-foot line designed to connect the Utah Northern and the Utah Western, paralleling the standard-gauge Utah Central.)

January 31, 1875
"In a recent letter you mentioned the success you were having in your great scheme of Narrow Gauge railways throughout the Territory." "It is generally admitted here that you have no superior as a railroad man..." "The great monopoly"(U.P.) and 'its deadly influence' and so forth. The people "are loud in their praise of your movement in this special matter." "The Railway Ring" is boasting about that they will stop the narrow gauge (the line SLC--Ogden), "or ruin every man in it." "I do not think your system of narrow gauge railroads through the territory will ever or can ever be carried out." "They (the RR Ring) tried very hard to get him (B.Y.) to commit himself in opposition to the narrow gauge, but I am satisfied he did not do it." (Letter, H. B. Clawson to JWY, January 31, 1875, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

May 6, 1875
"Amount borrowed for five days of H.P.Kimball to help pay freight on cars" - $1,800.00 (Letter, JWY to [unknown], May 6, 1875, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

October 19, 1875
JWY resigns as president of the Utah Northern RR; replaced by Royal M. Bassett, Birmingham, Conn. (Letter, JWY to UNRR, on UP letterhead, October 19, 1875, Letterbook 'A', LDS Church Historian's Office)

1885-1886

February 24, 1885
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- "Can you furnish the S L & Ft D Rwy room for a locomotive under your sheds. Can you furnish us the necessary materials to attach an air brake apparatus to our locomotive, and would it be consistent to give us the privilege to have our men put it on in your shops? Please reply by bearer." (Letter, JWY to W. H. Bancroft, Mgr & Rec D&RGW Rwy, February 24, 1885, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 2, fd 4, page 94, LDS Church Historian's Office)

June 10, 1886
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas does not need any of Taylor's 16-pound or 24-pound rail, as the SL&FD has just gotten 10 miles of 56-pound iron from C.P.; also not interested in his two engines, 23 and 24 tons, which Stayner presumes are in Nevada. (Letter, Stayner to Thomas Taylor, Cedar City, June 10, 1886, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 2, fd 4, page 202, LDS Church Historian's Office)

November 20, 1886
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- "The engine needs a patch on the boiler, so Bro. Croft says & so says Bro. McDonald. Shall it be done? or will you make other arrangements for power? The D & R G people have needed the roundhouse room and have set the Engine outside." (Letter, Stayner to JWY, November 20, 1886, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 2, fd 4, page 235, LDS Church Historian's Office)

January 15, 1887
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- On January 13th, Stayner down at the railroad, "...we had just got the little Engine on the track, but she had dropped down between the rails on the wye where the rails had been spread a little by the D &. R G engines,..." Also, a reference to the 7th street trestle bridge, under construction. (Letter, Stayner to JWY, January 15, 1887, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 2, fd 4, page 283, LDS Church Historian's Office)

January 21, 1887
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- "The Engine we have tried on the track, but her pumps and valves are very much out of order so I had her repaired. In doing this she does not open up very flatteringly and in opening up the steam boxes some of the bolts were found quite rusted & rotten, so it will be quite costly to get her in shape." "The D & R G have two engines at Denver, 18 ton engines, No's 4 & 7, Mr. Bancroft tells me which would, he thinks, do you good service and could be bought on very reasonable terms. We have the Engine in our own house double-tracked, and are repairing her there." (Letter, Stayner to JWY, January 21, 1887, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 2, fd 4, page 288, LDS Church Historian's Office)

March 14, 1887
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- Bancroft can't loan out D&RG cars, but if get permission from Denver, then he will. Also, "I think the Engine will push up one loaded car at a time, and we can get along to lay our track with that." (Letter, Stayner to JWY, March 14, 1887, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 2, fd 4, page 304, LDS Church Historian's Office)

July 12, 1887
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- the Engine has been stored more than not, as no use for it at present -- suits in progress for right-of-way, and they are delaying the construction. (Letter, JWY to [unknown], July 12, 1887, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 2, fd 4, page 328, LDS Church Historian's Office)

August 5, 1887
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- "Fourth - An Engine; we have kept the No. 1 going and have managed with it to bring up all the material without keeping the tracklayers waiting. From 15 to 20 rails or 6000 to 8000 lbs. at a time we have done when we could keep moving and did not stop, but when stopped we could not start again on the hill. Consequently the Engine has been put to its utmost capacity and has done well for its weight and condition. But it is dangerous to work it this way. By keeping the track in good condition and putting on an injector, doing away with the pumps which are nearly gone they are so cracked, she may work some time on the Cottonwood Branch as you designed, but she is useless on the Ft. Douglas division, it would be impossible to push up one car of coal. Arrangements are made for Bro. Croft to go up to Pocatello, to see the engines and make a selection..." (Letter, Stayner to JWY, August 5, 1887, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 2, fd 4, page 402, LDS Church Historian's Office)

May 23, 1888
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- "If you do not take the baggage car we shall have to let the other party have it. Please answer quick." (Telegram, C. F. Resseguie to Stayner, May 23, 1888, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 4, fd 2, page 2, LDS Church Historian's Office)

May 23, 1888
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- (answer) "Mr. Young is now 3 days on road to the East, where he makes arrangements with your people for all material he wants. It is his intention to take the baggage car and all the others mentioned." (Telegram, Stayner to C. F. Resseguie, May 23, 1888, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 4, fd 2, page 2, LDS Church Historian's Office)

August 30, 1888
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- "We have Just received our engines, and am a little surprised to find that there are no tools on either of the engines. As this was the understanding that the engines were to be equipped,...will you have the kindness to send them to us at once, and oblige." (Letter, R. Croft to J. S. Hickey, Master Mechanic, Pocatello, Idaho Div., August 30, 1888, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 4, fd 2, LDS Church Historian's Office)

September 15, 1888
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- Referring to a telegram from C. F. Resseguis, answering JWY's of 13th: "Before giving engine to the Utah & Nevada we spent about $250.00 in repairs so the S L & Ft D Ry are benefited rather than otherwise. We can't make any reduction in price if they take the engine. Please look out for payment." (Telegram, R. Croft, in Ogden, to JWY, September 15, 1888, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 4, fd 4, LDS Church Historian's Office)

November 2, 1888
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- Engine No. 3 in shops; Croft "has had a telegram about the snow plow, and can get it, but I told him he had better find out the price, which he is now waiting for." (Letter, Stayner to JWY, November 2, 1888, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 4, fd 5, LDS Church Historian's Office)

November 19, 1888
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- Br. Croft is busy with the engines -- "he reports some of the ones (engines) shipped from the East are not good"; Whitaker will write to the firm they were gotten from. (Letter, JWY to John M. Whitaker, November 19, 1888, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 7, fd 4, LDS Church Historian's Office)

June 1, 1889
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- "No. 1 is in the pump house, pumping water in tank. No. 2 is in the shops for new crown stays, will be ready for road next week. No. 3 is on the road, as is also No. 9 and both in pretty fair condition. No. 6 is in the shops, having new side rod brasses put on, will be on the road by the 15th; No. 8, in shops, having new flues put in, 2 axle brasses and 6 new wedges put on. Tires have been "turned up" and new wheels will have to be put under the tender."The Shay engine has been in the shops for a long time, undergoing repairs of the accident. Her beams, upon which the engine rests, are straightened, axles also stratened, and new cab built. Mr. Trent has sent for the new parts, (and the engine) will be put on the road in three weeks, Croft says, just as good as new. He states that it takes only half the fuel, and will do the work of any two engines we have." (Letter, Whitaker to JWY, June 1, 1889, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 4, fd 5, page 65, LDS Church Historian's Office)

July 11, 1889
Utah Western -- Watson to get nine passenger cars in all; "I would like 3 of the best passenger cars shipped as soon as possible, one of the heavy combination [Consolidation?] locomotives, also the switch locomotive, No. 16". (Letter, JWY to Ben Watson, July 11, 1889, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 3, fd 3, LDS Church Historian's Office)

July 15, 1889
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- "Find out who was to blame in tearing off the pilot on engine No. 3, and let them be made responsible. We must not have our rolling stock injured by carelessness, without the men becoming responsible." (Letter, JWY to [unknown], July 15, 1889, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 4, fd 2, LDS Church Historian's Office)

September 20, 1889
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- Telling Croft he will not be needed after the 15th of October, as he is being replaced by W. J. Silver. (Letter, JWY to Robert Croft, September 20, 1889, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 4, fd 2, LDS Church Historian's Office)

September 26, 1889
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- W. J. Silver is to go to Lima in regard to the new engines ordered; and thence to Canton, Ohio, in regard to the equipment being purchased, and select two of the heaviest locomotives, 25 flatcars, and two or three of the passenger cars, and ship all at once. (Letter, JWY to W. J. Silver, September 26, 1889, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 4, fd 2, LDS Church Historian's Office)

October 28, 1889
Salt Lake & Fort Douglas -- JWY orders two Shay engines, of 36 ton nominal weight, on terms, of 1/3 on delivery, 1/3 in 90 days and 1/3 in 180 days; cost to be $6,000.00 each, plus freight, and the first one shipped in December, and the second in January. (Letter, JWY to [unknown], October 28, 1889, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 4, fd 2, page 84, LDS Church Historian's Office)

March 6, 1890
Consolidation of SL&FD, SL&E, UW into Utah Central Railway -- relative to the merging of all the railroads, the SL &FD has 23 miles in operation, part of it ready for third rail; SL&E has 32 miles laid, five miles of rail on hand, and 25 miles of grade in the course of construction beyond Park City; and the Utah Western has 20 miles graded, and five miles 'ready to be laid'. The combined rolling stock of the three lines amounts to 14 locomotives, two baggage cars, five caboose cars, 12 passenger cars and 220 freight cars. (Letter, March 6, 1890, Letterbook, MS 1237, box 5, fd 10, LDS Church Historian's Office)